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Traffic, noise top concerns raised by residents in Crestone's oil, gas drilling plans for Boulder County

Company held fifth, final town hall in CDP process

By Shay Castle

Staff Writer

Posted:
04/04/2018 09:55:45 PM MDT

Updated:
04/10/2018 03:22:39 PM MDT

A tractor works in a field along North 119th Street, near Oxford Road, in November 2017. Oil and gas development is being proposed for the eastern Boulder County area. (Lewis Geyer / Staff Photographer)

What's next for Crestone's Comprehensive Drilling Plan

April 28: Crestone submits final draft plan to COGCC

April 30: Final draft plan published by COGCC

April 30 to May 13: Public comment period on final draft

May 13 to May 31: COGCC director files application for hearing (pending)

July 30: COGCC hearing on final approval (pending)

TBD: Boulder County review following COGCC approval

Crestone Peak Resource's fifth town hall with area stakeholders wrapped 25 minutes early on Wednesday night, with 65 participants asking questions on its plans to drill in Boulder County.

Most concerns centered around traffic impacts near the 10-square-mile site between Lafayette and Longmont along Colo. 52 and U.S. 287. Crestone has not yet engaged in a traffic impact study; such measures will be undertaken during the permitting process with Boulder County, unless state regulators request one, said spokesperson Jason Oates.

Oates estimated that Section 35 — a 28-well pad that was moved north of 52 in the most recent draft to place it farther away from homes — would require approximately 20,000 truck trips to develop. Trucks would likely travel west on 52 to enter the site, exit back onto 52 to 287 south and down to Colo. 7, though Oates cautioned that route was "just an estimate" and subject to change following a comprehensive study.

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Currently, Crestone plans to locate five well pads on three sites with up to 140 wells — a reduction from the original plan for six pads and up to 180 wells. In response to a caller's question, Oates said the actual number of wells may be lower; further subsurface exploration will determine the ultimate number.

If the Comprehensive Drilling Plan (CDP) wins approval from state and local regulators, nearly 100 existing wells in the area would be plugged and abandoned.

Multiple callers raised questions about the number of wells clustered onto the pads, citing concerns over possible increased noise. Oates responded by saying Crestone's operations will "meet or exceed" state regulations for noise and that such impacts are "temporary" during development of the sites.

Cynthia Rehberg, who lives near Crestone's Woolley-Sosa-Becky drilling site in Erie, said the noise is considerable — "like a road race. You can hear the engines revving. It's not the way I want to live," she said, even for a short time.

"Temporary for you might feel like forever to someone who has to experience that."

Public engagement in the process was substantial: more than 500 pages of comments were included in the fourth draft, and Oates said they held considerable sway over the eventual plans. Crestone does not plan any more changes before submitting a final plan to the COGCC on April 28, unless changes are recommended by that agency.

Under the current iteration of the CDP, oil and gas operations are at least 1,000 feet away from existing homes: in Section 1, the pad is 1,036 feet from the nearest building; Section 3 is 1,505 feet away, and the relocated Section 35 is 1,848 feet away.

That is still not far enough for some residents of the area. Jamie Taylor, who owns a home on North 115th Street, said she and other surface rights holders "don't want you here."

"We're well aware that community doesn't want us here," said Jamie Lost, Crestone's attorney. "Crestone has the legal right and obligation to mineral rights holders to develop these resources (and) we are working to provide the best available plan."

The last question of the evening came from Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, who chimed in to comment on Crestone's use of the state's forced pooling laws to compel mineral rights owners in Erie to allow drilling on their properties.

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